Buckles Smith

BUCKLES-SMITH (DirectorofMarketing) about the firm’s long-timecommit- ment andsuccess intheelectrical distributionmarket.The following isaneditedversionof that conversation: BVM: What typesof servicesdoyouoffer? Copeland: “Servicesandsolutions isamajorpartof our operationsgroupandabigdifferentiator inthemarket. Originally,wewereworkingwith largeOEMsandsophis- ticatedend-users inthe industry,meetingtheir requests as theywerebrought tous.Wedevelopedthat intoacore competencywhichwe leveragedthroughout themarket. Ultimately,theservicesweprovide result indifferentvalu- ablebusinessoutcomes forour customers,who include OEMs,industrial end-users,institutional end-users,utilities, andcontractors.” Peschke: “Wehelpcustomers throughassemblies, and designcomponentryintotheir systems; our technical sup- port teamworkswiththemtoprovide the rightmanufac- turedproduct andthe right solutionsandservices.It could beproductdesign,proof of concept,andwedoactual prototypebuildsandassembliesourselves inour facilities. Wealsohaveenclosuremodificationcapabilities,where we takestandard,stock-manufacturedenclosuresanddo a turn-keymodificationtothedesignusingthecustomer’s prints.Wedokitting,socustomershaveawholekitof productsavailablewhentheyneed it.WeofferManaged Inventoryprograms,andwe’reconstantlylookingtoadd servicesandcapabilities toour teamandtheportfoliowe offer.” Cook: “Our footprint runsall throughcentral andnorth- ernCalifornia.We’re fortunate that thecustomerbase is spreadacross several industries,fromfoodprocessingandbeverage,tosemi-conductor andhigh-techmanufacturers,bio-tech lifesciences,pharmaceuticals,and petrochemical.Wehave five refineries inthe immediateSanFrancisco Bayarea.Wehavea lotofwater,wastewater,and infrastructurebuildout. This isaverydiversemarket,sowehavedomainexpertsassignedtoeach of thosespecificcustomer industries tohelpusprovidegreater insights intotheir industryproductivity.” BVM: Whyis it essential tomaintainaconnectednetworkofmanufac- turersanddistributors? Peschke: “Onanygiven job,multiplemanufacturersare required.One manufacturer can’tproduceenoughproduct tobuildacompletemachine ordoacomplete job.Wehave theexpertise in-house torepresentdozens